Protector
by Eby
Summary: Loki is the son of a wealthy politician and after an attempt is made to kidnap him, his father hires a bodyguard to protect him.  Totally AU but NO slash.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello friends. Just thought I'd like to see more AU stories on this so here it is…_

* * *

><p>Loki ran a hand down his face as he looked out the window of his penthouse. He scanned the buildings of New York as he did every morning. Like clockwork, he woke at 7:30am and made himself a batch of coffee. He held his mug up to his mouth and gently blew on the hot liquid. He sighed as he looked down at the small figures on the street, too busy with their own lives to notice anyone watching.<p>

He went to dress in his sweats for his morning run.

Loki was the son of a wealthy politician. His life had been run from the very beginning by Odin's advisors and campaign leaders. Everything from how he dressed to the college he attended was chosen for him to better his father's chances at the polls. He had always complied with their wishes but it wasn't for the votes; he did it for his father's approval. Something he had never gained. No matter what he did, nothing seemed to be enough.

He arrived in central park on time at 8am and placed his ear buds in. Loki warmed up as he listened to 'Kings and Queens' by 30 Seconds to Mars. When he felt stretched enough, he started into a slow jog. The cold air pierced his lungs and his brow furrowed as he tried to ignore the freezing bite of winter on his face.

As his ipod went silent in between songs, he heard a second pair of footfalls behind him. He turned his head slightly and looked behind him with his peripheral vision. A tall man dressed in black jogged behind him. Something felt off to Loki so without placing attention on himself, he turned off his music completely. He followed the trail over a bridge and noticed another man, dressed in black karate pants and a royal blue sweater, fell in behind him next to the other.

Loki felt his breathing pick up and not from his exercise. His gut was telling him to get out of there quickly. He stopped suddenly and carefully watched the men pass by him down the trail. He laughed at himself when he saw that they really were just joggers. He decided he had enough exercise for one day and turned to return to his car.

He neared his car and pulled out his keys. As Loki searched for the right one, he felt himself being grabbed roughly from behind and shoved in a different direction. He started to struggle and felt his ipod being ripped out of his ears. It was the two men that had been behind him earlier who harshly yanked him toward their white van.

"Get off me!" Loki shouted.

"Shut up!" The one in black spit.

Loki continued to struggle and began yelling for help.

"Hey!" The two men stopped pulling him. They looked in the direction the voice came from and saw a police officer, who had been writing a ticket for an improperly parked vehicle and saw them, running toward them. They seemed to panic because they shoved him to the ground and made a run for their vehicle.

Loki backed away on the ground and took deep shaky breaths to calm himself. 'What just happened?'

The van sped away and the cop came running back over to him, "Are you alright, son?"

Loki looked up at him wide-eyed and frantic. He attempted to control his fear as he nodded quickly. He took the officer's hand as it was offered to help him up.

"Come on. Let's go to the station to fill out a report." The officer guided a frightened Loki to his squad car.

* * *

><p><em>Okay, what do ya'll think? I'm not sure if I want to continue or not so it depends on what you guys say. If any of you want to use the idea, be my guest, but please let me know first as I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts.<em>

_Ya'll are awesome!_

_Goodnight! _


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello friends! Thank you to CuriousDreamWeaver, Anna, and cara-tanaka! You guys are awesome! Oh and thank you for everyone that put the story on their alerts!_

_Also, I picture this Loki's hair in a certain way. Look up on youtube – Tom Thor chicagoscifi and you'll see it's looser than slicked back._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Loki sat with his legs folded underneath him in an office chair at the Police Department. He was staring off into space after giving his witness statement and being interviewed several times by officers. The incident played out in his head over and over again. He'd given his best description of the men but he wasn't sure he'd gotten a good look at their faces. They were still out there. That was the thought that frightened him.<p>

"Sir, you can't go back there…" Loki heard a woman's voice shriek.

"I can go where ever I want, young lady! My son is back there!" Just then, Odin rounded the corner and scanned the room until his eyes landed on Loki. His worn eyes relaxed and he picked him up off the chair to hug him. The younger man stood stunned at the sudden affection his father shown.

"I'm sorry Lt. Selvig… he went right past my desk!" The young woman with brunette hair exclaimed.

Lt. Eric Selvig held up his hand calmly and said, "It's alright, Jane. He is his father after all."

She nodded and looked down at her feet.

"Loki, my son, are you alright?" Odin held him an arm's length to get a good look at him.

"I'm fine, father. Just a few scraps." Loki peered down at his hands.

Odin turned toward the Lt. and yelled, "Who did this? I want them found and punished immediately!"

"I assure you, sir, everything is being done to find the suspects." Selvig said.

Odin looked from person to person and then nodded in satisfaction, "I would like a word with my son."

Selvig nodded and took Jane by the elbow gently to lead her out of his office.

Loki's eyes landed on his hands and that's where they stayed. He never got to speak with his father very often one on one so he was nervous. Odin played with certain trinkets on Selvig's desk before he cleared his throat.

"I am pleased to see you are well. But you do realize you've done this to yourself…"

Loki darted his head in his father's direction and furrowed his brow in confusion, "What…"

"You have a perfectly good gym membership just down the street from your penthouse. I pay for that bill every month, yet you still run through the park!"

"Father.." Loki started in shock.

"No! From now on, you are not to go out in public alone. I will hire a bodyguard for you and he will be your shadow from now on!" Odin shouted.

"There is no need to…"

"It is final! Not another word from you…" Odin seemed to soften and he unruffled his suit, "I suspect you have to stay for a little while longer?"

Loki only nodded after being scolded. His eyes fell to the floor.

"Alright then. I have a few meetings and I will come to pick you up after."

"No," Loki growled, "I'll have a patrol officer drop me off."

Odin sneered at his son once more, "Fine then. Have it your way, but come tomorrow, you will have a hired bodyguard at all times. Is that clear?"

Loki only nodded.

Odin paused before leaving, "I really am glad you're safe."

Then he was gone and Lt. Selvig replaced his figure at the door. He and Jane came back in and crossed concerned glances to each other. The TV in Eric's office was muted but on a news channel. His eyes darted over to it when he saw Loki's father emerge from out of the police department. He went to turn it up.

The camera seemed to invade Odin's personal space as he walked to his car. While he walked he released a statement, "Loki's mother and I are pleased to say that he is unharmed and in good spirits. We ask that anyone who knows any information on this attempted abduction come forward with any leads. Thank you." A roar of questions came after that as Odin withdrew into his car.

Loki stopped watching and looked down once again. He gulped loudly, "I'm feeling a little sick…"

"I'll go get you some water…" Eric walked out of the room.

There was silence and Loki felt ashamed under Jane's watchful eye.

"Are you alright? I mean, of course you're not alright, but are you okay?" She asked quietly.

He let himself look up at her, prepared for a look of pity, but instead he found compassion. He nodded slowly, "Yes, I'll be fine. I'm sorry you two had to hear that."

"No I'm sorry. It must be so difficult to be a politician's son. Never any privacy or downtime… he shouldn't have yelled at you like that." She looked at him with sad eyes.

Loki felt shocked for the third time that day. This girl was empathizing with him and he felt strangely joyful. He never realized how lonely he actually was until this moment.

"Yes well, I can't go a visit from him without the weekly scolding." He tried to joke but it quickly turned cold.

She held out her hand toward him, "I'm Jane."

He smiled as he took her hand, "Loki. Nice to meet you."

"Same here," Jane grinned, "I work here in records. I'm also the crime victim's counselor."

She handed him a business card with her desk number on it, "If you ever need to talk, please don't hesitate to call."

Loki read over the card and quickly stuck it in his pocket, "Thank you, I will."

Jane smiled widely and blushed a little, "Okay well, I'd better get back before Darcy goes crazy with phone calls. You're kind of a celebrity, you know."

He chuckled and tried to hide his smile, "Another unwanted side effect to being a politician's son."

She laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear, "Well, stay in touch, okay?"

Loki nodded and watched her leave. For the first time that day he felt calm.

* * *

><p><em>What did ya'll think? <em>

_Thank you for reading! Come on everybody, let's write more AU's!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello friends! Please read and review. Thank you to everyone!_

* * *

><p>Loki finished his grilled chicken salad as he flipped through the channels on his TV. He saw his face flash on one of the news stations and decided to listen. The video showed him leaving the police department while being swarmed with reporters and cameras.<p>

"…The son of the successful governor of New York was seen leaving the police station last night after his close call in Central Park. The young heir to Odin's business empire had been jogging in the park when the attempted kidnapping occurred. The suspects are still at large…"

Loki pushed the power button on his remote and leaned his head back on the cushion behind him. He exhaled slowly and clenched his eyes closed. The media was covering the incident day and night and he could barely think of what his life would be like in the coming weeks.

His I-Phone buzzed next to him and he sighed loudly when a picture of Odin showed up.

"Yes father?"

"I am sending a car to pick you up. You'll be coming to my office to meet your new bodyguard." The older man's voice sounded stern.

"Fine."

The two hung up without any pleasantries and Loki went to get ready.

* * *

><p>Loki walked into the waiting room of his father's office, "Hello Diane." He smiled at Odin's administrative assistant.<p>

The older woman smiled back warmly, "Loki! I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried about you." She came around and embraced him tightly.

"Thanks Diane. I'm fine…" He nodded toward the office door with a smirk, "So have you seen my new bodyguard yet?"

"Now Loki, be nice." She looked over the brim of her glasses, "I think this time, your father is right. And yes I met the young man. He's… impressive."

His brows furrowed, "What? Impressive?"

"You'll see. Let's just say I doubt anyone will be bothering you." She grinned.

"Loki… is that you?" They heard Odin bark. Both of their smiles faded and Diane ran back behind her desk. He waved to her in apology and entered his father's office slowly. He couldn't keep his frown from appearing, "Sorry father. I was just saying hello to Diane."

"Hmph." Odin looked indifferent, "Yes well, let's get this over with… Loki, this is Thor." He pointed to a chair in front of his massive desk.

The occupant shifted and stood up. The man towered over Loki with short blonde hair and a blonde goatee. The muscular man grinned and held out his hand to greet him. The young heir shook it with his own and the two eyed each other carefully. They both stood in front of Odin expectantly.

The businessman placed his hands behind his back, "Thor just finished his training at the academy and this will be his first assignment. Since I am running for Senate, the Secret Service has provided one of their own. He will be living with you in your penthouse…"

"Wait… what?" Loki exclaimed.

Odin rolled his eyes, "None of the theatrics today! It is necessary in this critical time!"

"I hardly see how it's necessary! I have a perfectly good alarm system and the police have been instructed to patrol the area around my apartment complex! This is just some sort of punishment for 'allowing' myself to be vulnerable or whatever your deluded mind thinks…" Loki paced angrily.

Thor stood at Odin's desk with his eyes diverted awkwardly to the floor as he waited for the family argument to be over.

"That is quite enough! You will do as you're told…" Odin bellowed.

"Or what?" Loki stopped to address him squarely, "You'll withhold the company? Good… I don't even want it!"

The elder man was shaking in rage, "Hold your tongue, boy! I've had enough of your insolence! Thor will accompany you home and you will show him hospitality! That is final!" Odin slammed his fist on his desk.

The silence that followed was felt by everyone. Loki's jaw clenched in anger. He shook his head and huffed. Without another word, he turned on his heels and burst out of the office.

Thor jumped and grabbed his bag to follow. He turned and nodded in Odin's direction who waved him off. Diane looked startled as he passed by.

* * *

><p>Loki leaned his head against the back of the elevator and breathed deeply to control himself. The doors began to shut until a huge forearm ducked itself in to stop it.<p>

He groaned loudly and shot his hands in the air when he saw Thor enter, "I suppose you're already on the job then?"

Thor ignored his outburst and hit the close button on the elevator. They rode in silence except for the younger man's hard breathing.

On the way down, Loki softened in regret, "I'm sorry. You do not deserve to be treated this way. I'm just a little upset is all."

Thor shrugged, "No biggie. Honestly, you held your cool better than I ever could."

Loki looked surprised at the response and laughed when he saw a small grin appear on the taller man's face. He chuckled as they got off on ground level, "Come on then."

The two found the car to take them back to Loki's penthouse.

* * *

><p><em>Wh<em>_at did ya'll think? Thanks guys!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello friends!_

_Thank you guys for reading. I might rewrite this when I'm done. It started out as an experiment to get more AU's on here for Thor, but I'm really loving this storyline. Thank you guys!_

* * *

><p>Loki showed Thor into his penthouse, "Come on in." He had stopped on the way up to check his mail and sorted through it while Thor drank in his impressive surroundings. To say it was large was an understatement. The living room was massive with wide windows expanding across. It was a perfect view of New York.<p>

Loki glanced up suddenly as if waking up from a daydream, "Forgive me… you must want to see your room."

Thor snapped back to attention and nodded with a grateful smile. The younger man waved for him to follow. They went down a long hallway while passing abstract art on the walls, and stopped at a room at the end.

"Here it is. Make yourself at home. When you're ready, we can order take out." Loki ran a hand through his dark hair. He retraced his footsteps back to the living room after a moment of awkwardness.

After he left, Thor placed his bag on the ridiculously large bed in the middle of the ridiculously large room. After he unpacked his belongings, he inspected the rest of the house. He memorized doors and closets in case they needed to make a quick exit or hide. He checked the alarm system to make sure it was working properly. After he was satisfied, he made his way to find Loki.

"Loki?" Thor glanced around.

"Just a minute…" He heard faintly. After a few moments, Loki emerged from a room connected to the living room through another shorter hallway, "I was just changing out my bandages."

Thor watched as Loki pulled a larger sized bandaid across his palm to make sure it was on tightly enough. He decided against questioning him tonight about the incident. The younger man walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer. He pulled a stack of menus out and plopped them down on the counter.

"Okay, we have sushi, Italian, thai, organic, Korean... What do you feel like eating tonight?" Loki asked.

Thor's brow was furrowed in a fashion that a child would protest against eating his dinner, "Seriously? I know we just met, and I don't mean to be rude, but sushi? Organic? Wouldn't you rather have a burger?"

Loki's eyes flickered, "Well, I suppose. I haven't had one in quite a while." Thor gaped at this, "I could look up restaurants that deliver hamburgers…"

"No need." Thor smiled, "Let's go out and find one."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea…"

"Why not?" Thor raised his arms in a questioning gesture.

"Well, for starters I was almost kidnapped yesterday…"

The older man feigned shock, "Do you think I'm useless? That's hurtful."

"No, it's just… no offense but I'm slightly embarrassed to have a bodyguard following me around the city. Normal people don't require protection." Loki looked ashamed.

Thor offered a small smile and rested his hand on Loki's shoulder, "My friend, I hate to tell you but you're not normal." He saw the flash of surprise come across the young heir's face, "And that's okay. Your upbringing was different from others but look at how you managed to keep a level head on your shoulders. Any other normal person would have spit in my face in that elevator but you immediately opened your home to me."

Loki chanced a look at him and seemed to study Thor's face for any deception. After realizing he was being sincere, he smiled back, "Do they teach psychology in the academy?"

Thor bellowed in laughter. He reminded Loki of a muscle bound, blonde haired Santa Claus. Joy just seemed to emit from his core, "Come on… grab your jacket. Let's go on a quest across New York for a decent burger."

Loki seemed to hesitate with a weary stance.

"Just think of me as a really protective friend." He grinned cheekily.

The younger man rolled his eyes with a smile, "Fine, but I'm warning you. The paparazzi are crazy right now. That means cameras being shoved in your face and embarrassing questions asked."

"I think I can handle it."

Loki thought it over carefully. Even before this whole mess, he was more of a home body, preferring to keep to himself over trying to figure out if people sought his company just to get close to his father. He learned that lesson the hard way during his later teenage years. It seemed that anytime he made a friend, they would begin disappearing once they got in his father's good graces. He thought of Fandral who had wormed his way from being an intern and his friend to a top advisor for Odin that hardly paid him notice.

But Thor seemed different. He was there for a purpose and there didn't appear to be any ulterior motives other than to be his protector. So, with a heap of courage, Loki did something he hadn't done in ages. He put on his leather jacket and followed Thor out the front door.

* * *

><p>Loki regretted the decision almost immediately when the paparazzi noticed him set foot on the sidewalk. They put out their cigarettes and readied their cameras all while swarming around him. He felt himself being pushed and pulled in different ways that disturbingly reminded him of the park.<p>

"Give him room, guys! Give him room!" Loki heard from behind and felt himself being freed from the confinement. Thor had created a small bubble in the midst of the chaos and guided him toward the street. He waved above the crowd and miraculously managed to hail a cab over to them.

Loki was gently pushed in by Thor who climbed in after him. Once the door was shut, it drowned out the photo shutters and aggressive voices. He felt himself physically relax and his shoulders loosened a bit. They both breathed heavily as the cab pulled away from the curb.

He looked over at Thor who seemed to have melted back into his original cheery self and laughed, "Thanks for that. I was beginning to develop a case of claustrophobia."

Thor waved and made a nonchalant face, "No problem." He glanced over at the cab driver who seemed to be glancing through the rear view mirror trying to figure out what celebrity he was driving, "Do you know of a good burger joint?"

The much older man nodded and answered in a thick New Jersey accent, "Course I do. Best in the city."

Thor and Loki exchanged glances and nodded their compromise.

"Sounds great!" Thor laughed.

The cab driver dipped his head in understanding and made his way across New York.

* * *

><p>"Oh my… this is great!" Loki moaned with his mouth full.<p>

Thor had just devoured another bite of his burger, "I know, right! It's like a party in my mouth!"

The younger man laughed through his nose, attempting to keep the food in his mouth. He gulped it down and took a drink from the Styrofoam cup next to the basket, "From now on, we're requesting Volstagg as our cab driver."

"No joke. The man is a food genius!"

The two fell silent while finishing their burgers and moving on to the perfectly crisp french fries. They were taken to a hole in the wall restaurant across town. It was run down and they were considering making a run for it just when an elderly woman came in from the storage area and warmed their hearts into trying the food. They thanked the Lord in Heaven for that chance encounter that led them to their delicious dinner. There was a tv that looked like it belonged to the 80's in the corner.

"…_In political news, polls taken online today have shown that Odin's approval rating has skyrocketed overnight. The governor's son was a victim of a failed kidnapping attempt yesterday which garners sympathy from voters. The terrible crime may just aid Odin in achieving the Senate seat…"_

Loki looked down at his food and swallowed the remaining fries in his mouth, no longer having an appetite after accidentally hearing his father's name on the news. It sickened him to think that the horrific ordeal he went through was actually being looked on as a positive thing.

Thor seemed to notice his stillness. He stopped eating his food as well and rubbed his hands on his napkins, "Don't listen to that garbage, man."

The dark haired heir looked up shamefully, "Am I that transparent?"

"Well yeah, but who wouldn't feel like you do? It's disgraceful the way they're using you. It's like you're a pawn in some big game to them." Thor looked unsettled.

Loki did a double take after hearing this. No one understood or even attempted to understand what he went through on a daily basis, but Thor hit it straight on the head. He had just begun to believe that his whole life was only meant to improve the polls but now he felt like a sledgehammer had struck a hole in the subconscious wall he had built up throughout his life.

"Thanks." Loki nodded his appreciation.

The side of Thor's mouth quirked up in a small expression of understanding, "Hey don't thank me. I'm just an over opinionated bodyguard with a conscience."

They laughed and slowly continued eating their fries in silence until a generic ringtone split the air. Thor looked confused but then remembered he was given a cell phone for Odin to contact him. He dug in his pockets and found the IPhone.

"Yes sir?"

Loki looked up at him and noticed Thor's face turn to stone as he continued talking to his father, "…What? When did this happen…"

Thor listened to the other side.

"…. I understand… yes sir, we just went out for a bite to eat…"

Silence and the bodyguard tensed, "Yes, I'll text you the address, sir…"

More silence, "…of course…. No one gets near him. Thank you, sir."

With that, Thor ended the call then quickly texted the address and returned the phone to his pocket. With a purpose, he took a few strides to the front of the restaurant and locked the door. He then closed the blinds and checked the back, pulling the elderly owner to the front.

"What's going on?" Loki stood out of fear.

Thor exhaled and finally turned his attention to the younger man, "A letter has been delivered to your Father's office."

"A letter?"

The blonde dipped his head, "It was from the men in the park. They demanded money from Odin. And if he decides not to comply, they threatened to finish what they started."

Loki felt the air leave him and his hand shot to his forehead in panic. He backed away and grasped onto a chair to steady himself. Thor stepped in front of him and grabbed his shoulders, "Hey listen to me, okay… you're going to be fine. Odin is sending a car to pick us up and take us to the police department. No one is getting past me, okay."

Loki slowly focused his vision on Thor and finally he felt his heart calming down. He nodded and watched the older man cross to the front of the restaurant to look for the car through a slit in the blinds. One thought ran through his mind, 'What I wouldn't give to live a normal life…'

* * *

><p><em>Thank you guys! Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks and goodnight! <em>


End file.
